With a solid start to the season, the Orange Lutheran girls lacrosse program is on the field and aiming for a trip back to the CIF playoffs.

The Lancers are fielding nearly 40 athletes across the JV and varsity teams, including five seniors at the varsity level. Overall, the program is on the younger side, but head coach Allie Kyte has seen significant improvement in the team's opening games.

"Right now, the girls have just continued to grow each game, which is all you can really ask of them as a coach," says Kyte.

The varsity squad will be led by a group of upperclassmen captains, including senior Kaylie Whitsell and juniors Makena Anthony, Lucie Harrington and Remi Lee.

On attack for the Lancers will be four-year varsity player Avery Neary, and juniors Anthony and Faith Reilly will be leading the midfield. Kyte expects Whitsell to also be a big contributor on the field.

"She is a workhorse and will always fight really hard to get every ground ball and every takeaway," says Kyte of Whitsell. "She's probably one of the most competitive people that I know and that helps drive the competitiveness of the team."

In net, the Lancers will have the goalkeeper tandem of sophomore Gabriella Galaviz and freshman Brooke McCabe, both of whom are newcomers to the varsity roster this year. Also new to the varsity team is freshman Chloe Karich, who will be playing attack.

This weekend, OLu heads back to Santa Barbara for the Gold Coast Invitational, a tournament the Lancers won last season. They are scheduled to face Saugus, Dos Pueblos and Murrieta Valley in their division.

Some nonleague contests OLu will host on Montell Field include Village Christian (March 17), Laguna Beach (March 20) and Martin Luther King (April 2). Trinity League matchups begin March 12 when the Lancers are on the road against Mater Dei.

The Lancers continue to center their efforts around the guiding principles put in place at the program's inception – faith, family and fortitude. Kyte is looking forward to seeing how this confident group makes an impact.

"I think this team has the best balance between having fun and being able to lock in when it's time," says Kyte. "This group is going to be better about having that focus and showcasing what it means to be a Lancer student athlete."